Open AccessIdentification in Listeria monocytogenes of MecA, a Homologue of the Bacillus subtilis Competence Regulatory Protein
Author(s) -
Elise Borezée,
Tarek Msadek,
Lionel Durant,
Patrick Berche
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.182.20.5931-5934.2000
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , listeria monocytogenes , biology , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription (linguistics) , bacterial genetics , escherichia coli , genetics , bacteria , linguistics , philosophy
We identified inListeria monocytogenes a gene encoding a protein homologous to MecA, a regulatory protein acting with ClpC and ComK in the competence pathway ofBacillus subtilis . InL. monocytogenes , MecA is involved, along with ClpC and ClpP, in the downregulation of a 64-kDa secreted protein. InB. subtilis , the MecA protein ofL. monocytogenes behaves as a regulatory protein, controlling the transcription ofcomK andcomG . Complete or disrupted ComK homologues were also found inL. monocytogenes . However, we failed to detect competence in various strains ofL. monocytogenes , including those with intact ComK. Our results suggest that the functions of MecA in the saprophytesL. monocytogenes andB. subtilis have presumably diverged in response to their respective ecological niches.